I would say he is in the ballpark. The Fixtures and fittings will be calculated at cost ona new home, and only include the effective life that the fitting can be claimed for. This is more than likely why its free.
The building will take more calculations, and hence the costs.
Depending on the size of a property, a quantity surveryor will charge in the range of $300 – $600 for a comprehensive depreciation schedule.
You may want to ask the builder who will be doing the schedule, as not all are accepted by the ATO. Once you know who it is you may want to ask them for a seperate quote.
Another alternative is to have the depreciation schedule included as part of the offer. This may be a little too late in your situation.
In any event, the schedule is a valuable tool to creating a profitable property.